Research from the Inside: One Teacher’s Research Journey within a School Setting

Abstract

In a secular society such as Australia, why are more and more parents sending their children to faith-based schools? This question led me to pursue PhD research exploring the reasons why parents choose faith-based schools. As I began my research I was confronted with unexpected complexities of researching my own setting. Researching one’s own professional context or occupational setting is known as insider research and this type of research is becoming increasingly common, especially in the field of Education. This paper explores some of the experiences I encountered as an insider researcher, and I present typical advantages and challenges associated with insider research. I also provide a discussion of the importance of reflexivity for insider researchers. By acknowledging the issues inherent with insider research, the usefulness of studying one’s own setting will be evident. I conclude that teacher-driven insider research is valuable to the understanding of the practice of Education.